Stress Relief in the Wintertime

Lately, I’ve been struggling with anxiety more than I ever have in the past twenty-five years. In the good old days, I used to create more art, too. So, I figured I would make a little collagey book, kind of like a journal, and in it, explore my anxiety and ways that I can overcome it.

Here it is, size 6.5″x8″, and made from photos, vintage magazine clippings, and a little extra fun stuff like paint, fabric, and tape.

I LOVE this. I’ve been getting a bit anxious and stressed out lately myself…and even though I make things for others as my main job, I really REALLY have to remind myself to make something for me once in awhile. At the first of the year I decided that weekends and evenings will be devoted to ‘me-projects’ and I really think it’s helping me relax a bit!
Your book there is giving me inspiration to pull out my fabric stash and perhaps get to know my sewing machine… :)

I am sorry to hear that you have been so anxious lately but I think this is one of the best uses of scrap-booking I have seen in a long time! I really, really do find beauty in the creativity we explore as we heal. In my times of anxiety, I make paper cranes! Lovely post, thank-you.

I love this.
I’ve been experiencing a lot of anxiety and depression lately too, and it feels unjustified. well, i am hyper busy, but i feel guilty feeling sad when the busy-ness is from good things. this was really inspiring. I am starting a new scrapbook this week to get my relaxed creative juices going again, outside of my creative work world :)
xo Moorea

I’m sorry to hear of your anxiety Mandi. hope creating this beautiful piece has helped relieve it to some extent. I wish I could let out my anxiety in a manner as creative as this. I have always been an admirer of scrap-booking as an art and you make some of the most beautiful ones I have seen.
Love
Tashrin from Toronto, Canada

This is seriously amazing.! I wish you could scan the spreads and print them onto leather and make them into wallets! Those would be the bomb! Haha but I guess your personal photos on wallets might be weird. ;) but walllets aside the books fantastic!

i have also been feeling super anxious lately & have heard similar stories from my sister & some other girlfriends…something must be going around. boo. but i love your little book! so inspiring & such a productive way to deal with anxiety + stress! thanks for sharing :)

This is absolutely stunning. I suffer from anxiety, too, and it’s definitely NOT awesome. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. It’s so beautiful and inspiring. I ought to try something similar for my stress relief!

It looks soft and tactile. I think these are some of the best kind of projects to make because people want to pick them up and look through them and all the bits & bops are just as fun to adhere.
I suffer from anxiety as well. It is always worse during season changes. I have a couple of coping mechanisms that work for me. The best thing sounds the silliest, but I quietly tell myself this, “I am not afraid of you.” I feel totally weird and strange for admitting this in a blog comment section, but it is the one thing that usually saves me from spiraling out of control. Since you know that is what makes an attack go from manageable to outrageous. I really hope you start to feel better.

Beautiful. Absolutely perfect. I think it’s been one of those things that has taken a back seat over here, too. Maybe it’s time to start digging out the found papers again!
Thanks for your comment on my post about feeling overwhelmed a few weeks back. I hope for many more peaceful, calm hearted days on the way to spring.

HI Mandi! This article is kind of a revelation to me! yeay! I’ve been writing a personal diary since I was 13 (looads of note books) and a couple of days ago i was wondering how i could push my writing inspiration up to something new… here in France I don’t think that art journal is a very developed practice BUT what i’ve just seen on your blog is so inspiring I really feel doing the same (well not really the same but you understand obviously!)
Did you decorate your school diaries when you were a teenager? I did and in a way it reminds me of that. Thank you again and bonne continuation!
Bisous! :)